Pile fabric



I Jan. 15, 1957 P. ,1. AUS IIN 2,7 7, 5

PILE FABRIC Filed June 1, 1954 3. Sheets-Sheet 1 'FIG. 2.

INVENTQRK BY M ATTORNEYS P. J. AUSTIN Jan. 15, 1957 PILE FABRIC s Shets-Sheet 2 Filed June 1, 1954 IN VENTOR ATTORNEYS P. J. AUSTIN FILE; FABRIC Jan. 15, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 1, 1954 INVENTOR 632/61,}. W

ATTORNEYS nited States Patent PILE FABRIC Application June 1, 1954, Serial No. 433,581

Claims. (Cl. 139-406) This invention is concerned with a pile fabric floor covering comprising two different heights of pile, in which a base of tapestry-like weave has superimposed areas of pile yarn.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a pile fabric of the character indicated wherein certain tufts are raised beyond the base weave to create a loop or a cut pile, or a combination thereof, and to define with the base weave a relieved pattern of whatever form may be desired.

A further object of this invention is to provide a method of weaving a novel pile fabric of the character indicated on standard looms of the Wilton type.

More specifically stated, the method concerns the formation of a relief pattern in the weaving of pile fabrics through control of the position of the base or background weave in relation to the higher pile, which may be produced in varying heights, depending on the consecutive order in which the inserted wires are used.

An additional object resides in the provision of a method whereby pile fabrics of the type generally described can be produced on a loom of the Wilton type by changing the crank shaft-cam shaft ratio and using in combination therewith a jacquard mechanism for lifting selected pile yarn over the pile wires.

These and other objects of the invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, and modifications thereof, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a semi-diagrammatic longitudinal section of a pile fabric embodying this invention and having the preferred form of weave, prior to withdrawal of the loop pile forming wires;

Fig. 2 is another semi-diagrammatic longitudinal section of a pile fabricsimilar to that of Fig. l, in which the pile has been cut by cutting wires;

Figs. 3 and 4 are side elevational views of two kinds of cams, either of which may be used in place of conventional chain cams in a Wilton type loom;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one form of the pile fabric of this invention, in which all piles are of loop formation;

Fig. 6 is a semi-diagrammatic longitudinal section of a pile fabric that is similar to that of Fig. 1 except for the utilization of some cutting wires to produce cut pile tufts .as well as loop piles; and

Fig. 7 is a semi-diagrammatic longitudinal section of a pile fabric embodying the principles of this invention but modified in certain particulars of weave.

The nature of the pile fabric shown pictorially in Fig. '5 will be better understood by reference to the diagrammatic weave section of Fig. 1. First, however, it will be noted that the fabric of Fig. 5 comprises a base B of tapestry-like weave, in this instance a twill, and superimposed areas Y of pile yarn bound into the base B,

2,777,475 Patented Jan. 15, 1957 and defining on the exposed surface thereof relieved pattern areas P, P.

In Fig. 1 a selected series of non-cutting pile wires 10 are employed. This pile fabric is made up of warpwise surface yarn 12, 13, pile yarn 14 including loops 15 formed over the wires 10, lower and upper single wefts 16 and 18, fine chains 19 and 20, and a plurality of stufi'er warps 22.

The pile yarn 14 extending over the wires 10 is carried to the back of the fabric just above the stutter warps 22 and below the upper weft shots. 18, lying above the stuifer Warp material and coming up again as the pattern may require. The low or background pile yarn 13 in this instance is brought up above the stuffer warps 22 and the upper and lower weft threads (18, 16) three times, while it lies under such lower weft threads (16) once in each cycle of four. These background yarn ends do not conform with each other due to the fact that they alternately lie on the back of the fabric at consecutive intervals, rather than at the same time.

The double fine chain, 19-20, used in the particular weave works in conjunction with the background base yarn 12 and 13 as shown.

In Fig. 2 the weave is the same as that described in connection with Fig. 1 except that a series of cutting pile Wires 24 is used to produce a pile surface formed of tufts 25 instead of loops. The corresponding parts of the Weave in Fig. 2 are identified by the same reference numerals used in Fig. 1 and are arranged and Work in the same way. In both instances the background coverage provided by the face yarns 12 and 13 is always apparent by reason of the fact that either one or the other of these two ends of background yarn is on the face of the pile fabric.

In connection with the weaves of Figs. 1 and 2, attention is called to the special cams shown in Figs. 3 and 4, which were substituted for conventional chain cams in producing these weaves.

While the cam of Fig. 3, comprising a cam plate 30, camshaft 32, and cam path 34, is not new of itself, it departs from the conventional fine chain cams and becomes a face yarn or print cam for the loom used in practicing the invention. This cam is used for the fine chain as well as for the background yarn. This is accomplished' by threading the fine chain and the background pile yarn either through heddles which are next to each other, heddles with two eyes, heddles with eyes of different height, or heddle Wires with split eyes. The open or plate cam 30 of Fig. 3 acts to pull down the background yarn and fine chain once in four picks.

Fig. 4 illustrates a hooded or positive cam 36 carried by a camshaft 38 and having an external circumference 40. A roller cam follower 42 follows a trackway 44 formed in the :cam 36. The positively acting cam 36 of Fig. 4 functions in the same manner described for the cam 30 of Fig. 3.

The pile fabric weave shown in section in Fig. 6 is closely similar to those of Figs. 1 and 2 which have been described in detail. In Fig. 6 mixed series of non-cutting pile wires 10 and cutting pile wires 24 have been employed to produce pile surface areas of loops 15 and cut tufts 25.

The weaves of Figs. 1 and 5, Fig. 2, and Fig. 6 can be produced by means other than the special cam and heddle-frame combinations involved in operating according to Figs. 3 and 4, respectively. While such use of cams works the heddle frames, raising and lowering of the yarn for background material by a position of motion, the weaving method of the present invention can be achieved also by utilizing the jacquard machine. This modification requires cutting the jacquard cards double,

installing a series of pulleys and cords, depending on each end to be raised and lowered by the jacquard needle and hook, all as required by the weave.

Like Fig. 6, Fig. 7 shows a weave embodying the principles of this invention and having both pile loops 115 and pile tufts 125 extending above the face yarn. There is an essential difference, however, in the weave construction of Fig. 7 in that the fabric has been woven without the use of stuffer warp material, and the motion of the double chain warp 119, 120 does not coincide with the background yarns 112 and 113 and pile yarn 114. For this particular case the regular fine chain cams remain in the Wilton loom and in addition two print cams are added. The print or face yarn cams operate in this instance to produce a twill weave of the background yarn, while the chain cams work the fine chains 119 and 120 to produce a basket weave in conjunction with the weft threads 117 which lie substantially in a common plane.

It will be understood that if a cam motion is used for the raising and lowering of the surface or background yarn, the amount of float as Well as the distribution of the weave depends on the maximum or minimum amount of dwell on the cam. Where a jacquard machine is used, the modification or adjustment thereof is correspondingly dependent on the type of background weave desired- One of the novel characteristics of this invention resides in the provision of a background yarn, which, in distinction to that of one of the conventional type weaves, has a low tapestry-like weave that is not run dead, together with the stuifer warp, as usually is the case.

The versatility and scope of this invention may be further demonstrated by the following examples.

One frame of face yarn may be threaded through the jacquard machine worked in the usual manner of a Wilton weave which is a high pile. One frame of yarn may be subdivided with one half in one heddle frame and one half in the other, but the total amount of yarn creating the background and thereby appearing on the surface of the floor covering to the extent of fifty percent of the surface area for a basket weave, sixty-six percent of the surface area where the background of the weave is a twill weave, and eighty percent or more of the surface area where the background is a sateen weave.

In a variation of the immediately preceding example, one or more frames of face yarn are threaded through the harness of the jacquard machine, with wires either cutting or non-cutting, or both, and with the background produced as before.

The weave of Fig. 7 may be modified somewhat for complete elimination of fine chain or hinder warp. By

threading the heddle frames with face yarn only, such yarn will perform the function of a background yarn and act also to bind the fabric together in a proper manner. The high pile in this instance may be cut or uncut, or a combination of both, and single or multiple frames and wires may be used, of heights or thicknesses differing from each other.

For equivalent results the background of the yarn may be moved by means of a modified jacquard machine, lowering and raising the background pile by direct modified motion of such jacquard machine whereby the background pile will be motivated, and cam motions therefor eliminated. The high pile is threaded in the way of one or multiple frames, performing functions as previously discussed, such as cutting or non-cutting pile wires, single or multiple frames, or whatever combination thereof the pattern may require.

A weave correspond ng to that of Fig. 7 may be produced by using special fine chain cams such as are used in Wilton looms, and special face yarn cams for the tapestry background weave, and eliminating the stutfer 4. warp entirely, thereby giving a flatter but tighter weave to the carpet and having the background yarn work indcpendently from the fine chain.

These are but a few examples intended to show how such novel fabric can be produced by following the principles of the various methods disclosed.

The term tapestry-like as used herein is intended to include basket weave, twill weave, sateen weave, and all combinations thereof.

The novel fabric weave and method as herein disclosed provide for the production on a wire loom of an embossed pile fabric floor covering in which a base of tapestry-like weave and superimposed areas of pile yarn may be con currently formed by lifting pile yarns over the pile wires with locking and binding of the loops in the base, and especially under wefts adjacent the superimposed pile yarn and above stuifer warps, where used.

While certain embodiments of the fabric and method of this invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that modifications thereof can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the inventive principles as disclosed herein and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus disclosed my invention and the preferred manner of practicing the same, what I claim as novel and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A pile fabric floor covering comprising a plurality of spaced upper level wefts, a plurality of spaced lower level wefts intermediate the upper level wefts, stuficr warp material lying between said upper and lower level wefts, and background pile warp ends interwoven with said upper and lower level wefts and floating over a plurality of upper wefts and alternately lying on the back of the fabric at consecutive intervals, to form a tapestry weave, and pile yarn war ends bound into the fabric above the stutfer warps by upper level wefts and extending above the face of the tapestry weave as face pile.

2. The pile fabric floor covering as defined in claim 1 and including a fine double warp chain interwoven with the upper and lower level wefts in conjunction with the said background pile warp ends.

3. The pile fabric floor covering as defined in claim 1 in which said face pile comprises loop pile and cut pile.

4. A pile fabric floor covering comprising a plurality of spaced upper level wefts, a plurality of spaced lower level wefts intermediate the upper level wefts, stutfer warps lying between said upper and lower level wefts, and background pile warp ends interwoven with said upper and lower level wefts and floating over two upper wefts and alternately lying in the back under an intermediate lower level weft to form a tapestry weave, and pile yarn warp ends bound into the fabric above the stuffcr warps by upper level weft shots and extending above the face of the tapestry weave as face pile.

5. The pile fabric floor covering as defined in claim 4 and including a fine double Warp chain interwoven with the upper and lower level wefts in conjunction with the said background pile warp ends.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,250,901 Baynton July 29, 1941 2,270,103 Baynton M Jan. 13, 1942 2,430,559 Dacey Nov. 11, 1947 2,590,608 Groat Mar. 25, 1952 2,681,083 Dacey June 15, 1954 2,685,894 Parlin Aug. 10, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 21,230 Great Britain of 1890 273,409 Great Britain July 6, 1927 

